Do you know who finished last in their first appearance at the ISU European Championships and then first in their last ISU European Figure Skating Championships?
In 1986, a young ice dance couple from Finland debuted at the European stage: Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko. At the Championships in cold and winterly Copenhague, Denmark, the dancers finished 18th out of 18 teams. At the time, probably no one would have predicted that this was the beginning of a long and successful career and that this team would make history.
Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko (FIN) at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 1995©Getty Images
The Finns had teamed up in 1985 and moved to Oberstdorf, Germany, to work with dance coach Martin Skotnicky and stayed with him throughout their whole career. A year later at their second ISU European Figure Skating Championships, Rahkamo/Kokko ranked 18th again, but they were not last. They left three couples behind them. From then on, the team progressed year by year, climbing to 15th in 1988 and 12th in 1989. In 1990, the dancers made a big leap to seventh place and cracked the top ten at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships for the first time as well, placing sixth. By now, the Finns belonged to the best teams in the world. They picked up their first ISU Championship medal in 1993 at the home Europeans in Helsinki and claimed bronze at the ISU World Championships 1994. Rahkamo/Kokko ended their career on a high note by striking gold at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 1995 in Germany, their second home, and taking silver at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships the same year. Rahkamo/Kokko were the first Finnish Figure Skaters to win a European title and the first and so far only Finnish ice dancers to claim medals at ISU Championships. The competed twice at the Olympic Games, ranking 6th and 4th.
Oksana Grischuk and Evgeny Platov (RUS), Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko (FIN), Sophie Moniotte Pascal Lavanchy (FRA) at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 1995©Getty Images
Rahkamo/Kokko were very popular and the fans loved their innovative programs. Many will remember fondly their emotional Free Dance to “Valse Triste” (1992/93 season), their fun Finnish Polka (1991/92 season), their cute Free Dance to “La Strada” (1993/94) and their upbeat Beatles medley (1994/95). Rahkamo/Kokko’s Quickstep, the Original Dance in the 1994/95 season, was developed into a Compulsory Dance, the Finnstep, which is the pattern dance for the Rhythm Dance in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 season.
Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko (FIN) at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 1995©Getty Images
The Finns were a couple not only on the ice, but also off the ice. They got married in 1995 and have a son, Max, and a daughter, Camilla, who are now in their late teens. Susanna stayed involved in Figure Skating. She was president of the Finnish Figure Skating Association and is first vice president of the Finnish Olympic Committee since 2012. As the chair of the ISU Development Commission since 2016, the former Ice Dancer is working on developing the sport of skating all over the world. Petri works as managing director for a major international internet company.
Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko (FIN) at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 1995©Getty Images
